BBB offers advice to avoid getting scammed this summer

Special to Leader-Press

 

Summer is a great time to take that long-overdue vacation or take a part-time job. Unfortunately, as the weather heats up in Texas, so do scams.

 

Last summer, Texans reported more than 100 scams and more than $35,000 in losses to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker. Nationwide, nearly 1,000 scams were reported with more than $780,000 in losses. Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin is warning consumers about some of the top summer scams:

 

■ Don’t let a scam ruin your vacation. Scammers are known for advertising toogood-to-be-true deals in the hopes of getting your money in return. Known as “baitand-switch,” the scammer shows appealing photos of a home or condo (some real, some fake) that isn’t actually available and at the last-minute changes the location to a less appealing rental. The phony landlord then collects an upfront deposit, leaving the vacationer to find out they’ve been scammed when they show up to the address. Whether it’s a fake timeshare rental or a falsely promised Disney vacation, don’t let a vacation scam take you for a ride. Make sure the offer is legitimate by checking bbb.org first. If there is no BBB Business Review on the company, dig deeper. Google the phone number or website to see if others report problems. Beware of red flags, such as a listing at a suspiciously low price, or a landlord that communicates only via email and/or asks for a wire transfer.

 

■ Keep your belongings safe during your move. Summer is the peak time of year for changing residencies, and unlicensed movers and are waiting to take advantage of the busy season. In Texas, professional movers are required to be licensed by the State of Texas. Always research the company first and check out the mover’s BBB Business Review at bbb.org. Not all price quotes online or over the phone are legitimate (or binding), so be sure to get everything in writing and read carefully before signing a contract. Beware of cheap online offers—if a moving deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also, remember that the lowest estimate can sometimes be an unrealistic, lowball offer, which may cost you more in the end. For a list of BBB Accredited movers, go to checkbbb.org.